Snow

Once upon a time, a certain effervescent nun went spinning through the Alps teaching a gaggle of children to sing about their “Favorite Things.” Although I can completely understand the positive-in-the-face-of-anything attitude of The Sound of Music‘s Maria Von Trapp, most of the people I encounter here at the Wadsworth Mansion are more on board with finding the happiness in “girls in white dresses” than with finding positivity in the first phrase of the song [see blog title].

In all the wedding tours my colleagues or I have given to potential brides and grooms, I can absolutely, 100% guarantee the following phrase of five words has never and will never be uttered:

“I really hope it rains.”

Sure. Of course. Naturally.

However, weather-related reasoning is, nonetheless, at the apex of wedding date selection. Practically all brides and grooms are somewhere along the spectrum between “concerned” and “apoplectic” when considering what kind of day mother nature might have in store for their grand event. Even the most easy-going couples understand that weather contingencies are an important part of envisioning the big day.

And I totally get it. As our wedding day neared, my husband and I weren’t exactly jazzed about potentially having to enact our rain plan. We loved the look of the Wadsworth Mansion’s open air terrace which leads to the expansive vista, and a tent would’ve altered that vision; still, we reviewed all the options and were prepared to pull the trigger had the extended forecast looked iffy enough. In the end we lucked out with an absolutely gorgeous day… but we
also understood it was just that: luck. Although its easy to say in hindsight, I truly believe that I wouldn’t have let a little inclement weather ruin my day. I mean, it was the day I married my best friend in the presence of our loved ones. The rest was just icing on the cake (or the cherry on top, or gravy, or whatever idiom you fancy).

Not all brides and grooms are so accepting of the idea of a potential “weather event,” however. In fact, I’d say most can be borderline irrational when considering that their date might not be clear and cloudless. At least half the inquiries of last week alone involved poring over our availability calendar trying to deduce which of the remaining dates will be the perfect combination of not-too-hot, not-too-cold, and rain-free.

Comb through the almanac, find a weather statistician, consult your local psychic; not a soul in the world will be able to predict the forecast with any kind of accuracy so far in advance. Believe me, I wish I could. My pay grade would be much, much higher…

So what’s a weather-worrier to do? Select a date, make a plan…then let it go. Stressing about the weather is wasted energy. There are plenty of other things that could benefit from repeated consideration (like if you selected a seamstress who has ample experience altering beaded-fabric, or which guests you can task with babysitting Great Uncle Morty during dinner). Focus on the things you can control and roll with the things you can’t.

And if that’s easier said than done, then there’s only one thing left to try: singing until you feel better. Julie Andrews would be so proud.

Happy Planning! Natalie

[A noted field expert (me) prescribes the old standard “Come Rain or Come Shine,” performed here by Ray Charles, although many great versions are out there. Bring on the car and shower singing.]

Natalie Newman Locke, the Event Supervisor and a Wadsworth Mansion bride herself, is a seasoned wedding & production professional. When not creatively writing, photographing weddings, or acting as social media guru, she enjoys sampling wedding cake.